hands

While flying to Japan, a familiar song popped into my head.  Since the fall of 2009, He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands has repeatedly come to mind.  I’ve even been using it as a way to pray when I’m feeling too overwhelmed to simply talk to God.  For instance:

He’s got my past and my future in his hands…He’s got…Robert and Roberta…my sisters and my mum…Kosovo and Japan…my success and my failures…my hopes and my fears…my strengths and my weaknesses…etc.

He’s got the whole world in his hands.                                   [emphasis: His hands]

Around the same time, I came in contact with a professor who used the phrase “hold it lightly” almost like a mantra of sorts.  He says this while holding his hands open with palms facing upwards (also with a funny sway/shake).  When theological differences aren’t core issues, “hold it lightly.”  When a paper won’t become “perfect” without hurting health or relationships, “hold it lightly.”  Basically, Dr. G thinks too many people take themselves too seriously.  So, when Robert and I stared dating, we agreed to “hold it lightly;” with the “it” being our agencies and countries of preference, etc.  We said we’d trust that God would work it out (and we believe he has specifically directed us).

                                                                                                [emphasis: open hands]

Fast forward to March and April of 2010.  Through a bunch of quiet times in the Word and prayer, conversations, and, really, all over the place, the word and concept of surrender kept coming up.  The picture I have of surrender is taking what is in my hands (even open hands) and actively laying it down.  Yeah, that was one of the harder things I’ve had to wrestle through.

                                                                                                [emphasis: empty hands]

Fast forward to today.  As someone talked briefly about the importance of Sabbath, the definition she gave was of “taking your hand off the plow.”  She spoke of the importance of the rhythm involving gripping the plow tightly and working hard and then releasing the plow and resting.  Yep, good word for the summer (and life). 

                                                                                                [emphasis: releasing hands]

And I think the theme between all of these is trust.  Will I choose to trust that He has “the whole world in his hands”?  Or that he’s bigger than whatever seems to be really big to me?  Or that I can trust him to surrender that which is dear to me?  Or that I can trust him enough to stop and rest for a bit?

Um...here's hoping!